Monday, December 26, 2011

The Best of 2011

One of the many items [old and new] enjoyed and recommended by the Library staff during 2011 for your consideration:Dreams of Joy, by Lisa See

In the follow-up to her 2009 novel, Shanghai Girls, Lisa See delves more into the life of the Shanghai Girls’ daughter, Joy, whose disillusionment with her life in the United States drives her to the People’s Republic of China to search for her birth father during its hopeful, then tumultuous period. Joy’s mother, Pearl, also returns to China to search for her daughter and resolve conflicts.

It was hard to get a reading copy of this title when it came out, so I turned to the audio book. It did not disappoint, with Janet Song’s narration bringing a real richness to the story. This is a wonderfully told story of a period in Chinese history often lost to the history books. It gives us human faces and feelings to relate to. I look forward to more Lisa See novels--I wish I could write as well as she does, and I'm glad she gifts us with new stories on a regular basis.